Inducing labour

[kylahh]

What things have worked for people inducing labour ? I have brought an exercise ball hoping this might help any information will be appreciated

[Placesrobe76]

Exercise - a lot of walking, walking and more walking.
Keeping busy and active always helps!

[Ginfilledcats]

Just place marking for the info!! I'm 39 weeks and have been marching up and down the garden all day, bouncing on my ball and eating pine apple all last week. Not even a cramp or a braxton hick in sight. Also eating dates with breakfast and having spicy food.

Think it's all old wives tales for a reason and my body will do it when it's good and ready. But at least this way I feel like I'm doing something!

What have you been trying?

[harper30]

I'd honestly try to avoid it; if you can wait for it to start naturally I would. Or speak to your midwife if you're getting uncomfortable and see what she thinks.
I did everything: spicy food, massive walks every day, sex, pineapples, yoga ball etc etc etc... all it resulted in was a very long latent phase of labour which lasted for days and days. And I reckon that happened because I was trying all those things to induce labour.
It meant I ended up finally in proper labour after two days of no sleep and not really eating anything either.
If I was going to have another baby I would definitely try to just wait for things to happen on their own, other than the walks maybe, I did enjoy those just for the exercise.
Good luck whenever it happens!!!

[MrsRose2018]

Hi OP

I am 33+3 and am being induced at 37 weeks! I want to try and go spontaneously or at least make the induction as “easy” as possible and am/ going to doing the following:

• 6-8 dates every day (Doing this now)
  
• 2-3 cups of raspberry leaf tea every day (doing this now)
  

-fresh pineapple every day (doing this now - I love pineapple anyway)

• lots of walks - doing this now and as much as my pelvis allows as I have SPD
  
• nipple stimulation at approx 35 weeks
  
• harvest some colostrum 35/36 weeks
  
• sexual activity at 35/36 weeks (I can’t have penetrative sex due to my waters breaking at 25 weeks and was advised to avoid orgasms etc due to oxytocin production being linked to triggering labour)
  
• spicy food - 36 weeks (I’m not crazy on super spicy food)
  

I’m aware that this is all probably not going to work but 🤷‍♀️ Worth a try eh??

[lonelyonee]

Hey! I had a sweep on my due date that bought on labour the next day... pretty sure it only worked as I was already a little dilated and my cervix was low and soft.
I admittedly did do a lot of walking around in the days prior though.
You haven't said how far along you are, but you shouldn't try to induce labour before 37 weeks, and tbh even after that could be dangerous but you should be okay if you keep everything safe!
Good luck!

P.s. I used my exercise ball while in early labour at home and it helped loads until I made the decision to get in the bath ☺️

[BeautyAndTheBump1]

Currently 40+3
Had a sweep at 39+6, cervix soft, 75% effaced, 1cm dilated, baby very low and engaged. Did it work? Nope 😂

Been on my birthing ball at every opportunity. Been walking miles a day. Tried curry. Tried sex.

Still pregnant 🙄

[lonelyonee]

@BeautyAndTheBump1 pineapple???

[Placesrobe76]

I also had a sweep at 37 weeks ready for induction at 37+5, she was born the next day!
I was high risk of pre term labour though and a few other issues........

[Hannah9176]

Agree with @harper30 just let it happen when it happens. There was a group of 5 of us when I was due last year and they were all doing crazy things to try and bring on labour, they all ended up in labour before me but things weren't progressing and 3 ended up with an emergency section, 1 ended up with a 5 day latent labour followed by 40 hours in active labour and gave birth in theatre (with episiotomy & forceps) just as they were about to perform a c section. I was the only person out of our group to let it happen when it happens, I was 4 days late (longest 4 days of my life) but I had such a quick (2 hour) labour that was completely uneventful.

Appreciate this is only a small handful of cases to compare but I will absolutely not be interfering when I'm due at the end of this year either!

[Hannah9176]

Oh and I had a curry at about 36 weeks and the poo & wind that followed the days after we're enough to put me off trying that closer to due day! Would have turned the birth pool fizzy 🤮

[SquigglyOne]

Nothing - I tried everything and ended up being induced 😂